Country Music Hall of Fame Member Maxine Brown Russell Passes Away

Country Music Hall of Fame member Maxine Brown Russell has passed away. Russell, who was 87 years old at the time of her death, died from complications from both heart and kidney disease.

Brown rose to fame as a member of The Browns, along with her brother, Jim Ed Brown and sister Bonnie.

“Maxine was a force to be reckoned with, and I’ll always remember her sense of humor,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer, in a statement. “She and her siblings will forever be celebrated as one of country music’s most beloved trios.”

The Browns are credited with being one of the leaders of the popular Nashville Sound, as it became known, focusing on intricate three-part harmonies, influencing subsequent groups like the Beatles and Brothers Osborne.

The siblings got their start singing in church and at other events around Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It was Jim Ed who first started out, after earning attention by competing in a radio contest. Although he didn’t win, he was invited to join the cast at the radio station. Russell followed, and the brother and sister became a duo until Bonnie officially joined in 1955.

That same year, The Browns toured with their good friend, Elvis Presley, and also signed with RCA Records. Throughout their illustrious career, the trio released more than 20 albums and charted over a dozen singles. One of their biggest hits was “The Three Bells,” became a No. 1 hit on both the country and pop charts, and landed in the Top 10 on the R&B charts as well. Other hit singles include “I Take the Chance” and “I Heard the Bluebells Sing.”

The Browns were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1963, and into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015.

Although The Browns are believed to have had enough influence to make Nashville known as Music City, the pull to raise a family won over any career success. In 1967, The Browns officially disbanded, so Russell and Bonnie could raise their own families off the road.

Brown was the last surviving sibling of the Browns. Jim Ed passed away in 2015 after a lengthy cancer battle. Shortly after his death, Bonnie was also diagnosed with cancer, passing away in 2016.

Russell is survived by two children, Jimmy Russell (Mary) and Alicia Short (Curtis). She is also survived by six grandchildren: Caitlin, Daniel, Meredith, Eva, Patrick, and Katherine, and two great-grandchildren, Atlas and Aina. Funeral services are pending.

Photo Credit: John Russell/CMA